The tense relations between France and Algeria are witnessing new tremors, most notably the arrest of Algerian influencers in France on charges of spreading hate messages, in addition to a diplomatic confrontation due to the arrest of the Algerian-French writer Boualem Sansal in the Algerian capital, which led to an exchange of words between the two countries.
The latest of these crises was the announcement by the French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noel Barrot, the day before yesterday, Friday, that his country “will have no choice but to respond if the Algerians continue to escalate against France,” in a clear indication of the intensity of tension hanging over the relations between the two countries in light of the crises. Frequent.
For his part, political science researcher Bilal Lamrawi believes that “Algeria is accustomed to diplomacy of threats and blackmail, and violent statements against anyone who disagrees with the military’s approach, but the recent statements of French officials reflect a desire to deter this method.”
The researcher added, “This Algerian escalation came against the backdrop of France’s recognition of the Moroccan Sahara and its support for the autonomy plan, and also after the arrest of writer Boualem Sansal, known for his positions opposing the Algerian military regime.”
-He pointed out that “French President Emmanuel Macron confirmed that the arrest of Sansal harms Algeria’s reputation, which reflects the growing negative view towards the Algerian regime, which relies on confrontational diplomacy, which will only lead to international isolation and the loss of political legitimacy internally and externally.”
Observers believe that the continuation of this tension may lead to a greater escalation in relations between the two countries, opening the door to many possibilities in the near future.
